With the approval of the
Board of Trustees during their 25 February 2017 meeting, we commence the
implementation of our Five-Year
Strategic Plan Framework (2017-2022) by clarifying and introducing new
dimensions in the University Organizational Structure for clearer lines of
accountability and authority and for a more effective supervision and
monitoring.

This includes the creation of
Vice President posts for Higher Education, Administration, Social

Development and Formation, in
addition to the VP for Basic Education (refer to
MEMO 16-17:36). We, therefore, are amending the current
positions called Assistants to the President for Administration, Formation, and
Social Development to Vice Presidents because they oversee University-wide
offices, centers and programs. Thus, FR
RICHARD V ELLA SJ will be the Vice
President for Administration and FR
WILFREDO M SAMSON SJ is Vice
President for Formation. A VP for Social Development shall be appointed in
the future.

Similarly, the post of
Assistant to the President, currently held by MS RENEE VIEVE VECINA-KANINDOT, shall be called Executive Assistant to the President whose primary function is to
assist the President in his day-to-day executive leadership functions.

There shall also be three
other Assistants to the President for some important aspects of administration:(1) Analytics and Planning which is neededfor a more strategic and operationally efficient, data-driven
decision-making, and includes data-based analysis of University internal
operations (academic, non-academic, personnel, finance, facilities) and
external environment (e.g. education market, competitors); (2) Quality Assurance and Leadership
Development, fora more
concerted monitoring of institutional activities and processes related to
accreditation and quality assurance by PAASCU, CHED, LEB and other groups, and for a more effective leadership and
management training, performance management, and succession planning; and, (3) Rebuilding for our expeditious return
to normal operations after the July 2016
fire, which includes planning, coordinating and implementing activities related
to rebuilding.

I am, thus, grateful that the
following have agreed to take on these important tasks: MR
RALPH JORLINE M CHUA as the Assistant
to the President for Analytics and Planning; DR REBECCA V FERNANDEZ as Assistant
to the President for Quality Assurance and Leadership Development; and, ENGR EUGENE S KANINDOT who shall
continue with his assignment as Assistant
to the President for Rebuilding(refer to MEMO 16-17:12).

I thank the new vice presidents and my
assistants for their generosity of time and talents in the service of the
University’s mission of education and social transformation in Western Mindanao
and beyond.